For the Federal Way High School class of 1974, it’s time to party once more. This year, classmates are getting a pre-reintroduction thanks to Facebook.

Facebook has become a new tool for organizers, who are planning a 35-year reunion for Aug. 14.

“Facebook is an intriguing way to reconnect ahead of time,” organizer Bruce Honda said.

“What’s really neat about Facebook is people are posting pictures of their family, their kids, their grandkids and what they are going through day to day,” organizer Hollie Lloyd said. “You get connected before you are face to face.”

“The introductions are all taken care of,” Honda added.

With the help of their Facebook group, word of mouth, mailings and Internet search engines, they have close to 100 classmates signed up for the event.

“The Internet makes it easier than previous years,” Honda said. “Mailings are great, but you end up with some dead addresses.”

The class of 1974 has done a good job of staying connected over the years. In addition to the 35th, their in-between year, they also went on a large 50th birthday party a while back, where they rented buses and traveled to Woodenville for the wineries, a barbecue and lots of conversation.

That’s the theme too for this year: Reconnecting and having fun and conversation.

“A lot of people have said they enjoyed just chatting,” Honda said of their 30th reunion.

This year’s reunion will a low-key affair, letting people just chat and hang out.

It will start with an optional potluck lunch at the Brown’s Point Improvement Club, 201 Ton-A-Wan-Da Ave NE, Tacoma. The real event will kick off around 5 p.m. with a group photo, class memories and slide show, and a dinner catered by Pac Island Grill. There will also be live music by Lewis and Lane, who specialize in 1970s tunes.

There will also be a silent auction, and the proceeds will go toward World Vision. Some baskets already arranged for the auction are filled with wine, glasses, books, videos, jewelry, FWHS blankets, cookies and coffee.

On Aug. 15, they will also be a tavern night at Billy McHale’s restaurant in Federal Way.

Both Lloyd and Honda said the hardest thing about organizing the 35th reunion has been convincing people to go.

“They are worrying about greying hair and waistlines,” Honda said. “So what else is new? Or they say I don’t know if I will remember anybody. Oh who cares? It’s a special time to catch up. This past week has shown us even celebs are immune.”

Learn more

• For more information on the reunion, contact Hollie (Baker) Lloyd at hollliiee@comcast.net or Bruce Honda at hondabg@hotmail.com.

• For the Facebook group, visit, www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=45948933049.